The record-breaking opening partnership calmed the nerves and despite the stutter later in their innings England had the most stress-free day of their expedition, a landmark which was not so difficult to achieve given what went on before their arrival in the South Island.
The sun eventually shone on this blissful cricket ground, which has become one of the symbols of Christchurch’s steady rebirth. By mid-afternoon the bagpipes were silenced and a happy crowd reclined on the grassy verges, merrily dancing to other piped music between overs as England took their first points of the tournament. After all the agonising it was not so tricky to spot the associates in this match, after all.
Moeen Ali, who played the one carefree knock in England’s 303, and the much more careful Ian Bell compiled 172 together and that settled the contest. The previous highest opening partnership for England in World Cup cricket was 158 in 1975 when Dennis Amiss and Barry Wood combined against East Africa at Edgbaston – rather more sedately.
In that era openers were openers and associates were associates. Wood, for example, might struggle to make a one-day team today – despite those handy little away-swingers. The little Yorkshireman, who spent much of his career opening the batting for Lancashire alongside David Lloyd, knew how to block and 40 years ago his 77 against the part-timers took 138 balls.
The game has changed a bit. The matches then were 60 overs per side and the batsmen had yet to explore every possibility. In the first game of that World Cup at The Oval India responded to England’s 334 with 132 for 3 from 60 overs, Sunil Gavaskar 36 not out from 174 balls. He decided there was no point chasing such a gargantuan total so he indulged in some passive middle practice.
The following week in the game against East Africa England scored 290 for 5 against an attack including Derek Pringle’s dad, Don. They raced along at 4.8 runs per over. In reply East Africa scored 94 from 52.3 overs. In that era the lesser sides were interested only in respectability coupled with a curiosity of what it was like to bat against Test bowlers. The East Africans discovered it was quite difficult. John Snow bowled 12 overs and took 4 for 11, Derek Underwood yielded only 11 runs from his 10-over spell.
Now the lesser sides are not so curious about their opposition, nor so respectful; no longer is their first goal to avoid disgrace. Kyle Coetzer was not awed by the prospect of facing Jimmy Anderson or Stuart Broad, having played against them before.
The “lesser” sides are so much more competitive now. Scotland, Afghanistan, UAE and Ireland are not here only for the experience. They want to win and they say they can. The Irish already have.
The disappointment of Mohammad Nabi, Afghanistan’s captain, down in Dunedin where Sri Lanka “dodged a bullet” on Sunday according to Mahela Jayawardene, was genuine. Likewise Preston Mommsen, the captain of Scotland, was downcast after this match regretting that his team had not really tested England. There were not too many positives to be taken from Scotland’s defeat, a phrase that may have escaped Harilal Shah, East Africa’s defeated captain in 1975. The margin of England’s victory over Scotland on Monday, 119 runs, was their biggest in the World Cup since that 196-run thrashing of East Africa.
So genteel Christchurch has done its World Cup duty. The temporary stands will be removed now and in a few weeks they will be playing club cricket on this superb tree-lined ground.
England head back to Wellington and the functional Cake Tin, where they had their nightmare against New Zealand last Friday.
Perhaps confidence is seeping back. After Moeen’s century Steven Finn’s bowling was probably the source of greatest satisfaction after he had been bullied so brutally in Wellington. Running in against Mommsen is preferable to bowling to Brendon McCullum, who was at the game having an afternoon stroll with his family. Maybe this was a source of reassurance for the England bowlers. They knew on this tranquil occasion the New Zealand captain was not allowed to cross the boundary line.
